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People doing Physics

Jocelyn Bell Burnell: a star among the stars

April 2, 2026·31 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

We are so happy to be joined by Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, legendary astrophysicist who made the first observations of pulsars during her PhD at the Cavendish, and went on to become a fierce advocate of diversity in science. Dame Jocelyn is visiting Cambridge to give a special talk organised by the Cambridge University Women in Physics Society for International Women’s Day and we’re really excited to be able to spend time with her and ask her about her journey. --A brief note for our listeners: this episode includes personal reflections on life in academia and physics in past decades, and it may refer to attitudes, behaviours, and workplace cultures that many will find outdated, uncomfortable, or shocking. These accounts are shared to document lived experience and help us understand how the culture has changed; they do not represent current values and operations. Useful Links:Learn more about the Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund | Institute of PhysicsJourneys of discovery: Jocelyn Bell Burnell and pulsars - This article published on the University of Camrbidge website includes the photo of Jocelyn mentioned in our conversation.To explore Charlotte's student society's activities, visit Cambridge University Women in Physics Society | CUWPSShare and join the conversationHelp us get better by taking our quick survey. Your feedback will help us understand how we can improve in the future. Thank you!If you like this episode don’t forget to rate it and leave a review on your favourite podcast app. It really helps others to find us.Any comment about the podcast or question you would like to ask our physicists, email us at podcast@phy.cam.ac.uk or join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PeopleDoingPhysics.Episode creditsHosts: Charlotte Lane and Vanessa BismuthRecording and editing: Chris BrockThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

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